31 years have passed since April 9, 1989 tragedy. On April 9, 1989, 21 people were tragically killed as Soviet troops attacked peaceful protesters in the center of Tbilisi.

On April 9, Georgia is also celebrating the restoration of Georgia’s independence, as the Georgian legislative body passed a declaration of independence in 1991 based on the results of the March 31, 1991 referendum, where an overwhelming majority of Georgians voted to secede from the Soviet Union.